Secrets Of Sanctuary Hospital Nightmare Of The Dark Shadows (39 page)

“Can you see who she’s chasing?”

His tone reflects his frustration. “No, they
are too far ahead. They’re only a shadow.”

“It’s alright. You are doing very well.
Please, I need you to relax and sit back down.”

Jacob grabs his hand and he sits back down.
“Think about what you see as a picture, the way Rachel told us to
freeze things when we are afraid so we don’t react and we can think
about what is around us. Remember, you remove yourself from it, it
is only a picture in front of you and think about the shadow
only.”

Nicholas squeezes his eyes tightly shut. “The
shadow is running and is far out in front of us.” He jumps up
again. “It’s carrying something and traveling extremely fast
through the woods, it crouches lower. I can’t see it.” He gasps.
“Kayla tripped over uncle Lucas. He’s on the ground and he’s hurt.
He was definitely on the ground. Kayla didn’t even see him because
she tripped over him. Her head hit a rock.”

“That’s very good. Which side of the head did
she hit?”

“The right”

“I’ll be right back.” Gently moving Kayla’s
head so as not to disturb her, I examine her head but there is no
mark on either side.

Returning, they are both staring at me
expectantly. “Did you see the bump?”

“No, there was nothing on her head.”

“But I saw her hit the rock. There has to be
a mark, she hit it hard.”

“She may have, but no mark remains.”
Remembering how Andrew told me that vampires heal quickly and how
when Nicholas got staked by Jonathan his hole healed almost
immediately, I wonder if the same holds for wolves. “Nicholas,
don’t worry, it could be that it healed.”

“Bumps don’t heal that quickly, even I know
that.” He shakes his head and looks dejected.

“You’re right when you’re in human form, but
you know how dad heals if he gets hurt, maybe you heal the same way
when you are a wolf. We have to ask, but Grant and Jeff are looking
for Amelia right now.”

“Can we call Charlie and ask him or maybe
Paul?” Jacob inquires.

As soon as Charlie hears Nicholas is alert,
he asks about Kayla and then is at the door almost instantly,
accompanied by Paul and Julianne.

“Charlie told us what you asked. You wouldn’t
see any type of cut or bump on Kayla now, it’s been hours, she
would have healed. We don’t heal as fast as vampires, but we do
heal quicker than humans.” Paul says as he walks in. “How’s
Lucas?”

“We are waiting to hear. They are trying
everything they can. In the meantime, Nicholas is trying to
remember exactly what he could see and smell. Paul, can you tell me
when you changed, were you still thinking and feeling like yourself
or are you ruled more by your instincts?”

“You pretty much think like yourself, but
your senses are heightened and you know that you are stronger and
quicker than you could ever be otherwise. You react quicker to
things.”

“Do you still recognize the people who are
familiar to you?”

“I did, but at first it was more their smell.
I had to get away from my mother when I first changed. Although she
smelled familiar and I knew who she was, she was so nervous, it
drove my instincts wild. It was very annoying and I was afraid that
I would really growl at her and get in trouble when I changed back,
so I ran from her.” An extremely sad look crosses his face and he
becomes very quiet.

Jacob jumps off the couch, hugging him. “Paul
it’s alright, she is still with you, watching over you.”

“Thanks Jake.”

Charlie moves over to Nicholas. “How’s Kayla
doing?”

“She is still asleep. I think she’s afraid to
wake up because everyone believes we hurt Lucas.”

“I believe you. I know you wouldn’t hurt your
uncle. You would know it is him. They don’t remember because there
transformation was a long time ago, but I remember even when I was
an infant. I changed immediately. I could feel my fur. My dad
doesn’t believe me, but I remember my mom stroking my fur. That’s
why I know that you remember. You have to, you’re older.”

“Thanks Charlie. It’s good to know someone
believes me.”

Sitting next to Nicholas, my tone turns
contrite. “Honey, I’m sorry that I sounded like I don’t believe
you. I guess I let my fears overtake my common sense. If you say
Kayla tripped over Lucas, I do believe you. I think that we need to
concentrate on the shadow you saw.”

“What shadow?” Julianne asks.

“I saw a shadow. Kayla was chasing something
and I think that your uncle also smelled it.”

“Did you smell it too?”

“I’m not sure. I was so surprised when Kayla
jumped up that I was focused on her.”

“Nicholas, let’s try our exercise again but
this time with you concentrating on what you smell only. In the
meantime, Charlie would you mind going with Jacob into Kayla’s room
and telling her that we do believe her. I know your charm made her
feel better, maybe hearing your voice will too.” Nicholas closes
his eyes.

“Think about right before you saw Jeff get up
and concentrate only on what you smell or sense.”

His body turns still as stone for several
moments then he speaks very deliberate. “I could smell the wood on
the floor, it is cedar.” He seems surprised at this. “I can smell
our fur. They all smell different, but I can’t really describe it.
I have smelled similar scents from the animals around here, but
they are not quite the same and they are all mixing, it’s
confusing.”

“It’s alright Nicholas. Take your time and
you know that it is your fur and the fur of those around you,
that’s really good. If it’s confusing to separate them, that’s o.k.
Tell me what else you smell.”

“It’s not so much what I can smell, it’s what
I feel. I can feel Kayla’s fear and my own, but it isn’t as bad as
the night before. Even you seem calmer mom. Jeff is getting
anxious. He’s up and moving.”

“Nicholas, wait. Don’t think about what he’s
doing. Think about the smells or the feelings.”

“I don’t smell anything, but I sense Jeff
getting nervous and so is Kayla. She’s becoming really afraid.”

I hear a sharp intake of air and his
breathing is becoming more rapid. “Someone is coming” His head
whips around.

“From what direction?” I inquire before he
can even think about it.

“It’s coming from behind us.” So why did Jeff
and Kayla run to the door?

They smelled it and were trying to get out
the quickest way. “Nicholas, there are no windows in the corner
where we had you. Do you recognize the smell?”

“No.”

“Do you smell or feel anything else?”

“We’re outside now. I can smell the crispness
of the air and the pine needles. No, not just that” His back arches
and his eyes fly open.

“What is it?”

“I smell a vampire. Mom, I smell Reginald, I
didn’t realize it was him for a second but before I can even become
afraid, his scent registers, I know I’m not in danger from him and
I start chasing Kayla.”

“What else did you smell? Did you smell what
Kayla was chasing?”

Paul places his hand on Nicholas’ shoulder.
“Relax, it comes easier if you stay calm.”

“I can smell the dirt and moss that we are
running across. Kayla’s fur is much more distinguishable and so is
mine. I can sense danger, I can smell something, it’s not human,
but I don’t know what it is. Ugh.” His frustration is palpable.
“Why is everything getting so mixed up? I can’t do this, I’m mixing
up our scent with Reginald’s and I can’t ...”

Kayla surprises us all coming out of the
room, sitting next to Nicholas and grabbing his hand. “I’m sorry I
left you for so long on your own to face this.”

“You didn’t leave me and mom really does
believe us. I’m just mad because everything is getting mixed up in
my mind.”

“No it’s not. I heard you, you are upset
because you think the smells are getting mixed up, but they were
mixed up.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The smells were mixed that night.”

“I thought that you said you didn’t remember
what was going on.”

“I didn’t, but after dad touched me and my
mind began relaxing, things started coming back. I thought I was
dreaming, but I was remembering. I could see us running, but more
importantly, I remember that smell. It was overwhelming. It smelled
like a mix of us and our family, but with it I was afraid. Whatever
it was wanted to hurt us! I could feel it, but I can’t explain
it.”

“What do you mean that it was a mix of us and
our family?

“It wasn’t human. I know that for certain. It
was a mix of vampire and wolf. Everything around me wreaked of that
smell.” Her hands fly up, covering her face. “It wanted to hurt us.
Why would I chase something that wanted to hurt us?” Her voice is
absolutely panicked.

“It’s alright, it didn’t hurt us.”

“No, it hurt uncle Lucas.”

“Kayla, do you know who it was? Who were you
chasing?”

Her head turns in my direction, tears spill
over her rims. “I couldn’t see them, they were too far away. It was
only the back of them. The one who hurt uncle Lucas and wants to
hurt us is still out there. Mom it wasn’t us, there was someone
else.”

Paul rises and begins pacing and mumbling.
“Maybe there is still some trace of them. Mrs. St. Cloud, could you
show us where they found Lucas?”

“It’s Mia, please and I can, but if someone
is out there I don’t think that it would be a good idea for you to
be out there. I’ll go with some of our family and see if they can
detect anything. Paul, call your father and warn him that there may
be someone else out there.” Knowing Andrew and Gabriel are helping
Lucas, I call Jackson and Damian. Turning to tell the children,
I’ll be right back, I see Paul whispering to Julianne, his
expression grave. “Is everything alright?”

“No, they found Amelia.” His eyes shift to
the children.

“Paul, Julianne, why don’t you come with me.
We’ll be back shortly.”

“Mom, we can help.” Nicholas says as we head
out the door.

“Not this time. If someone is out in the
woods, I want all of you to stay here. Don’t leave the building. I
mean it.”

Paul’s tone is dead. “Charlie, Jeff wants you
to go home as well, now.”

“But I can wait here.”

“No, you can’t, he wants you home right now.”
He turns to Julianne. “Take him and I’ll see you in a few
minutes.”

“But...”

He cuts her off immediately. “Please don’t
argue. Just do it! We’re losing time.”

Julianne and Charlie leave with Paul and me.
Jackson and Damian are waiting at the bottom of the stairs. “What
happened?”

“They found Amelia’s body, her throat was
ripped out.”

I gasp. “Where, when.”

“About five minutes ago. She was about
fifteen miles from where you found Lucas. Dad’s distraught, Jeff is
trying to get him back, but he ran off. Jeff said he is blaming
himself for losing Nicholas and Kayla.”

“They wouldn’t have killed her Paul, they
didn’t harm anyone. I believe Nicholas and Kayla did see someone
else out there.”

“What’s going on?” Jackson interrupts.

“Nicholas and Kayla both remember chasing
someone who they felt was a threat when they stumbled over Lucas.
Someone is out there and I believe that someone is the one who hurt
Lucas and maybe killed Amelia.”

“Mia, Lucas said it was a wolf that got
him.”

“I don’t care. The wolf wasn’t Nicholas or
Kayla.”

“Maybe they don’t remember it. We know that
they couldn’t control themselves.” Jackson’s voice is full of
understanding.

“No, I thought that too, but they did
remember and they were thinking like themselves. They wouldn’t have
gone after Lucas; Nicholas even recognized Reginald’s scent after a
moment.”

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but with every
passing moment we could be losing the scent and if dad is running
anywhere near there and someone is out there, he could be in some
serious trouble. We have to find him.”

“We’ll go. We’ll get out to the site and then
find your father. Where is Jeff?”

“He’s taking Amelia’s body back here. Mia, he
is afraid, he probably believes Nicholas and Kayla killed her,
that’s why he wanted Charlie away from them. I know my brother is a
fighter. You may want to get someone here to watch them. I know
that he has been going after the clan here that David created and
I’m not sure how that affected him or what his reaction to Amelia’s
death will be. I know he became pretty violent when his mother
died.”

Jackson pulls out his phone. He is talking
too quickly for me to hear. Hanging up, he turns to me. “Go back
upstairs with the children, we can move faster on our own. Eva and
Catherine will be here in a few minutes and I have alerted Ryan at
the school. When Jeff comes back here, see what you can find out
about Amelia’s wounds. You may be the only person he lets near the
body and see if you can determine if he is going to be a problem.
We are going to meet Francis and Reginald in the woods.”

Paul interrupts. “I need to go with you. If
Grant is as bad as I fear, he is going to need my help and you
won’t be able to approach him. Not to mention, if there is any
chance of a scent out there, I can probably help and truthfully you
will need me to help convince them that it wasn’t your children who
did it. Even you have lingering doubt. I can sense it.”

I hate to admit it even to myself, but
despite how good they are, I wonder if they really couldn’t control
themselves, and maybe Nicholas doesn’t remember everything. I know
how the human psyche can block out things that the mind cannot
handle and wonder if that is the case here.

Paul interrupts my introspection. “He’s
right, you need to talk to Jeff, but don’t waiver and I need to go
with them.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“I can handle myself. I won’t be caught off
guard. I only got caught in England because I was so worried about
my siblings that I wasn’t concentrating enough, I won’t make that
same mistake.” He heads toward the door.